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King Charles III celebrates 75th Birthday with UK £5
2023 has been quite the year for King Charles III. As well as being crowned King on 6th May, His Majesty celebrates his 75th birthday on 14th November 2023.
To celebrate his milestone birthday, The Royal Mint have issued a UK £5 coin featuring a reverse design representing The King’s love of nature.
In case you missed it…
You may recognise the King Charles III 75th Birthday £5 from earlier this year, as it was one of 5 commemorative coins issued in the 2023 Annual Coin Set. It’s actually the final coin from the set to be released individually, so now’s the time to secure it if you missed out on the 2023 Annual Set.
A passion for nature
Inspired by King Charles’ passion for nature and conservation, designer Dan Thorne has created a beautiful reverse design on this new UK £5. It includes The King’s royal cypher along with the number 75, all framed within oak leaves and delphiniums. The design was even personally approved by The King himself.
It’s not just nature that His Majesty is passionate about, he also has a keen interest in the arts, architecture and supporting disadvantaged young people. In 1976, when he was His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, The King founded The Princes Trust, an organisation committed to improving the life of young people in the UK.
He’s also been an avid campaigner for environmental issues and sustainability, living by the principle that it’s better to work with nature than against it.
A closer look
As well as the main aspects of the design such as the plants, royal cypher and the years 1948-2023, there are a few features on the coin you may not have noticed at first glance.
On closer inspection, we can see a ladybird, 4 bees and a dragonfly hidden within the design – another nod to The King’s love of nature.
New UK Coinage for King Charles III
The King’s love for nature and his passion for conservation is also reflected in the UK’s New Coinage. The 8 brand new coins feature designs themed around British wildlife and conservation, whilst the obverses feature King Charles III and a special privy mark.
Find out more about the UK’s New Coinage here >>
Secure your 2023 UK King Charles III 75th Birthday £5
Secure your 2023 UK King Charles III 75th Birthday £5 in Brilliant Uncirculated quality for just £13.99 (+£2.99 postage) >>
Upcoming King Charles III Coins! What we know so far…
Since the release of the New UK Coinage for King Charles III in October 2023, collectors have been eagerly awaiting new UK issues featuring His Majesty.
And so, I’m delighted to tell you everything we know so far about the King Charles III commemorative coins we have to look forward to, according to the UK’s latest Royal Proclamations.
Upcoming 50p Releases
80th Anniversary of VE Day
In 2025, we’ll celebrate 80 years since Victory in Europe Day – better known as VE Day – the day that Germany surrendered its armed forces to Allied nations. It’s only fitting that such a poignant historical milestone be marked with a UK coin, and it’s been announced that a VE Day 50p will be issued.
Image Credit: The Daily Mirror, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
According to the Royal Proclamation released on 4th April 2025, the 80th Anniversary of VE Day 50p will feature:
a depiction of a peace dove accompanied by the inscriptions “IN PEACE GOODWILL” and “VE DAY 8 MAY 1945”.
Zog the Dragon
Originally published as a children’s picture book in 2010, Zog tells the story of a clumsy young dragon striving to be the best student at dragon school. The story, which has become a family favourite, was written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo, and has even been adapted into a short TV film in 2018.
Image Credit: Christoph Rieger, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
It’s been announced that we’ll see a UK 50p coin celebrating 25 years of Zog, as far as we know, the coin will feature:
a depiction of the dragon Zog accompanied by the inscription ZOG.
90 Years of Monopoly
Monopoly – a beloved family game for many, an argument starter for others.
Image Credit: Jorge Franganillo, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
And to celebrate 90 years since the first British version of the game, a new UK 50p is being issued! It’ll feature:
a depiction of the character Mr. Monopoly surrounded by various components of Monopoly gameplay accompanied by the inscription “90 YEARS OF” and the Monopoly logo.
Harry Potter 50p
Following the extremely popular 4-coin Harry Potter 50p series and the subsequent Winged Keys, Black Lake and Flying Car 50ps, we can expect another magical 50ps issued to celebrate the Wizarding World.
What we know so far is that the next Harry Potter 50p will feature:
(b) a depiction of Harry Potter casting a spell accompanied by the inscription
“EXPECTO PATRONUM”
Image Credit: frostnova, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Upcoming £2 Releases
RRS Discovery
Following the popularity of the 2025 HMS Belfast £2, The Royal Mint are releasing a new £2 coin celebrating another iconic vessel.
Image Credit: Ed Marin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Here’s what we know from the latest Royal Proclamation:
‘for the reverse, a depiction of RRS Discovery with a whale tail and two penguins accompanied by the inscription “RRS DISCOVERY”. The coins shall have a plain or a milled edge and in incuse letters the inscription “· DESIGNED FOR ADVENTURE”.’
First Passenger Steam Journey
Both of the £2 coins that featured in the 2025 Annual Coin Set will be individually issued later in the year. The first commemorates the first passenger steam train journey on Locomotion No. 1.
The design captures the ground breaking moment in 1825, with a design featuring Locomotion Number 1 in action, packed with excited passengers and the inscription ‘The Journey that changed the world’, along with the years 1825-2025.
Royal Observatory Greenwich
The second £2 coin from the 2025 Annual Set celebrates 350 years of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich.
The reverse design features the Shepherd Gate Clock, the constellation Ursa Minor, the star Polaris and the meridian line in front of a globe. The coin also includes the edge inscription ‘PERFECTING THE ART OF NAVIGATION’, taken from the Observatory’s founding Royal Warrant.
Upcoming £5 Releases
Liberty London
Famous for its bold and floral print fabrics, Liberty (or Liberty’s) is a well known luxury department store in London with a close connection to art and culture. 2025 marks 150 years of the store, and a UK £5 coin will be issued to celebrate the anniversary.
Image Credit: DiscoA340, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
According to the latest Royal Proclamation, the coin will feature:
a depiction of Liberty London with a decorative paisley style motif accompanied by the inscriptions “LIBERTY” and “150 YEARS”.
Princess Anne 75th Birthday
The only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Princess Anne, celebrates her 75th birthday this year. As is tradition for royal birthdays and milestones, The Princess Royal’s birthday will be celebrated on a UK £5.
Image Credit: New Zealand Government, Office of the Governor-General, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
As far as we know, the coin will feature:
a depiction of Princess Anne with Her Royal Highness’s Coat of Arms accompanied by the inscriptions “THE PRINCESS ROYAL” and “CELEBRATING 75 YEARS – DUTY AND DEVOTION”.
Queen Mother £5 – Not for individual release
The Queen Mother £5 was issued as part of the 2025 Annual Set to mark 125 since her birth. The reverse design of the coin features a depiction of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, the garter star and Queen Elizabeth’s cypher, surrounded by a Scottish Thistle and an English Rose.
Unlike the other coins in the 2025 Annual Set, this coin will not be individually issued and so the only way to get your hands on it is in the 2025 Annual Coin Set.
Never miss a future UK coin issue!
With such exciting releases on the horizon, you really won’t want to miss out on these incredible new coins. So why not take away the worry and guarantee yourself every new UK coin issue, without the hassle of placing orders on launch day?
Join the Change Checker UK CERTIFIED BU Subscription Service and be one of the first to receive new UK coins as soon as they are released! Plus, save £3 on new UK 50p issues with the special subscription price of £5.99 (+p&p).
The Isle of Man Christmas £2 returns!
The Isle of Man has released a BRAND NEW Christmas £2 in the run up to the festive period!
Keen collectors will know that the Isle of Man has made some of the most popular festive coins over the years, so this is not one to be missed out on.
A traditional design
The stunning reverse design on the 2023 Isle of Man Christmas £2 has been inspired by the iconic stained-glass window of Church Kirk Christ, Rushen on the Isle of Man. Also included on the coin is the message ‘Merry Christmas’ in both English and Manx, a feature common to most of their Christmas £2 coins.
The first King Charles III Isle of Man Christmas £2
Breaking tradition, the Isle of Man didn’t release a Christmas £2 in 2022, making this coin the first one since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. This also means that the 2023 Isle of Man Christmas £2 is the first to feature Glyn Davies’ effigy of King Charles III on the obverse.
Your 2023 Isle of Man Christmas £2 has been struck to a superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality – the favoured specification amongst collectors! It also comes protectively encapsulated in Official Change Checker packaging.
Secure yours for just £12.50 (+p&p) >>
Previous Isle of Man Christmas coins
2021 Isle of Man Christmas Nativity £2
The last Isle of Man Christmas £2 took inspiration from the very same stained-glass window in Church Kirk Christ that features on this year’s design.
2020 ‘A Christmas Carol’ £2 coins
2020 marked 150 years since the passing of Charles Dickens, and so we were treated to three new Isle of Man Christmas coins, each representing a different scene from Dickens’ timeless Christmas tale, ‘A Christmas Carol’.
2019 Santa £2
The 2019 Isle of Man Christmas £2 featured Old St Nick himself, alongside the distinctive Isle of Man Triskelion (three armoured legs). The 2019 Santa £2 was so popular in fact, that some Change Checkers missed out on securing it for their collections.
2018 Hunt the Wren £2
The first Isle of Man Christmas £2 coin set a new tradition of festive £2 coins.
The design on the 2018 Christmas £2 pays tribute to an unusual Boxing Day tradition which takes place on the island – Hunt the Wren. The famous Manx tradition involves communities coming together to dance and sing in the streets around a wren bird, which is paraded around on a special pole.
Isle of Man The Snowman™ 50ps
Prior to 2018, the Isle of Man issued some Christmas 50ps to celebrate the festive season.
In 2003, the Isle of Man issued a 50p to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of The Snowman™. This coin was incredibly sought after by collectors, not only because it was the first ever Snowman™ 50p, but because just 10,000 were minted, making it very scarce.
The Snowman™ 50p was re-issued in 2008 to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of The Snowman™.
Another Isle of Man The Snowman™ was issued in 2014 featuring The Snowman™, James and The Snowdog™. Only 30,000 were minted, making it almost as scarce as the 2003 coin.
2023 UK The Snowman™ 50p
The Royal Mint has recently issued a 2023 UK The Snowman™ 50p, the 6th in the UK Snowman™ series! It features James and his frosty friend dancing under the Northern Lights.
Secure your 2023 UK The Snowman™ 50p for just £4.99 (+£2.99 postage) >>
Don’t miss out!
The 2023 Isle of Man Christmas £2 truly is the ideal present or stocking filler for this year’s festive celebrations.
What’s more, as this coin will not enter circulation in the UK, this could be your only opportunity to own this BRAND NEW £2.
